Chain tightener and lock.



F.'A. FOX.

CHAIN TIGHTENER AND LOGK.

APPLICATION FILED 1150.227 Patenisd Sept. 14. 1909.

2 SHEETS-SEEET l. v

Mmc'mr' i [mpg F. A. P8X.

0mm TIGHTENER- AND LOOK.

APPLIOATIQE FILED D150. 22. 1908.

9 2 w x Am w fi w n @U I w M b M WWW M? v UNITED STATES! FRANK A. FOX, or new Yomgnv. Y., ASSIGNOR T0. FOX METALLIC TIRE BELT COM-- rATENT OFFICE.

PANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.. A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CHAIN 'rrorrrmmr. AND LOCK.

ing is a specification.

his invention relates to locking and adjusting devices for chains, and has for its object to provide a lever connected with one end of a chain that can engage any one of several. links in another part of the same or another chain and willserve to draw the two ends of the chain tightly together and Look the same and at the same time be easily disengaged for removing or adjusting the chain. The device is especially advantageous for vuse in bringing together and securing the side members of chains of anti-skid attachments of the chains of tires of automobiles or vehicles, wlfereby the device can be placed around the wheel and locked in position by this lever attachment and secured very tightly on the Wheel; yet can be readily disengaged to remove the anti-skid device, and can be easily handled without the use of any tools whatever.

In the accompanying drawings showing embodiments of my invention, Fi e 1 shows the lever in perspective. Fig. 2 1s a side elevation of the lever attached to a chain, with the hook. end entered ina link of the other end of the chain. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fi 2 showing the lever passed through the lin and swung to ti hten the chain. Fig. 4 is a view." similar to ig. 3 showing the lever further advanced. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the lever in the final locked position. Fig. (ishows a slight modification of the lever'shown in Fi 1. Figs. 7 and 8 show a modified form 0 look for the lever in difierent positions; and Fi 9 shows the device as used on an anti-sk1d attachment for tires.

the end link 4 of a chain. This forms the pivot of the lever. This headalso contains a recess 5 adjacent the shank portion.- The other end of the lever has a portion transversely disposed relative to the shank 1 afld the hole-3 bent to form a hook? whose chan- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 22, 1908. Serial No. 468,773.

nelis parallel with the shank 1. The free or hook end 6 is inserted in a link 8 in the other end of the chain, or another chain according to the use of the device, as indicated in Fig. 2. Then the lever is swun on its pivotal connection at 3 with theliiilr 4, as indicated in Fig. 3, which will caiis'e the link 8 to slide along the shankuntil it lntonteil Sept. 14. 1909. 1

reaches the recess this will bring the two ends of the chain into close proximity. The further swinging of the lever will cause the links 4 and 8 to further advance and. to

slightly overlap as-indicated in Fig. 4, and

thus it will be seen, the chain will be under a very strong leverage because of the proximity of the link 8 to the pivot of the lever at the hole 3. By this means the chains can be'tightened under great pressure and very strongly drawn together.

links 4 and 8 will be secured in this position.

The hook end is preferably caused to engage the side of the link, and is retained in' this The Iever -isnow r swung doWTi until its hook endfienters one J 7 i i position by ,a springtongue lQ'fthat may be ank 1. hi

riveted to the s lever in ositiol'i but permit its-easy removal by simpy pressing down the spring tongue which is the line fr'omthe hole 3 to the chans will secure the h nel of the hook; that the link 8 will be firmly held against'the pivot portion of the linkg4:

by means of thefleveif when this isin'fits locked position.

Another form oflock device fdr tlieilever is shown in Figs. 7 and 8 in which the lever 15 that is pivoted tothe link '16 'has a bar 17 ivoted to its transverse end 18. When the ar extends in alinement with the bent end 18 as shown in Fig. 7,-the end of the bar is passed through one of the links 19 of the chain as indicated" in Fig. 8. Then the bar is swung to a transverse position as shown in Fig. 8', that will prevent the removal of the lever end from theli'nl'r and..lock...itin

thisposition. To disengage the 1ever,'it only necessary to shift t r'str'aight position, when it-can be withdrawn e cross barto the from the link. Whenthe tightenin c vdevice is used on .a tire .cham as indicated in Fig. 9, the lever is attached to one end of the side chain; andit can engage the end link at the op osite end oi the side chain ,to tighten the evice on the wheel. But if this does not give sufficient tension on he tire chain, the'lever is passed through'tne second or third link at the-other end of the tire chain; whereby any desired adjustment can be obtained. By

means of the great leverage when the link at the other end part of the chain is resting in the recess of the leverg the chain can bebrought to engage the tire und'er a strong pressure. An y the use of a Wrench or a lever of any. kind,-

{bnt can be readily operated by the hands of the chauffeur to properlyv lock the tire. chain on the wheel.v And to remove the same it is only necessary to disengage the hook by' 25 pressing down the spring tongue, or to swing the crosslever in the modification set forth. K

this device will not require Witnesses:

Havingthus described my invention, I

claini 1. The combination with a chain, of a lever pivoted at one end upon one'of the f" links-of the chain and means carried by the 1 other end of the lever for engaging the chain, said lever being provided with a cam face near its pivot and a recess at the end of said cam face and occupying a position latorally of a line from the pivot to the chain engaging means.

2. The combination with a chain, bf a lever pivoted at one end upon orient the hook on the other end of the lever extending translinks of the chain, an integral snap versely for engagement with a link of the chain when the lever is swnng ha ck upon the; cha n, said lever being provlded with a cam face near its pivot and with a recess at the end of sand cam face occupying; a position laterally of the line from the pivot to tho chain engaging means.

FRANK A. FOX.

FRED. JQ Donn, HENRY E. GREENwoon; 

